When the Celtics visited Golden State last January, they won by 40. Through three quarters, their latest visit was similarly one-sided.

Boston led by 29 with less than 12 minutes remaining Thursday night — then needed to survive a furious Warriors comeback to secure a 121-110 victory at the Chase Center in both teams’ first game back from the NBA All-Star break.

“At the end of the day, coming off the break, I thought our guys had great attention to detail, had a great purpose to what we did,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters in his postgame news conference. “And then in the last 10 1/2 minutes, Golden State took it to a different level. We were forced to be poised. We were forced to have to make plays. We were forced to have to make shots and get stops.”

Jaylen Brown, fresh off the first All-Star start of his career, was the Celtics’ top playmaker in the win, notching 23 points, 15 rebounds and a career-high 13 assists in his third triple-double of the season.

Payton Pritchard added a game-high 26 points, including eight of the 19 that Boston scored during its white-knuckle fourth quarter. Pritchard, who’s topped 20 points five times in six games since being shifted from starter to sixth man, hit six 3-pointers while tallying seven assists and six boards.

In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.

Name: Juliana Hermenegildo
Age: 36
From: Rehoboth

I am running the 2026 Boston Marathon with the Miles for Miracles team to raise money for the children and families at Boston Children’s Hospital. My son Tiago had open-heart surgery on Nov. 15, 2024, at the age of 17 months to correct a rare heart defect. Not only were the doctors, nurses, and technicians incredibly skilled, but they were patient and compassionate with our whole family. His surgical team was able to implant a patch in his heart, and Tiago was discharged with no restrictions. Amazingly, he is a completely healthy, happy, toddler now, and I am forever grateful to BCH.

Running this year will also be meaningful to me on a personal level. I last ran the Boston Marathon in 2013, and I was very close to the finish line when the bombs went off. I got swept up in the ensuing chaos and panic, and I ended up wandering the streets of Boston in my race singlet for hours. I suffered PTSD and was unable to run for months. Since then, I have been searching for a way to run the Boston Marathon again, but it was not until my son’s experience at BCH that I felt driven to raise money for a cause that is so meaningful.

Running the Boston Marathon this year as part of the Miles for Miracles Team is my way to heal from my own trauma, and honor and support my son and the many brave little warriors at BCH.

Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.

The South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade will look a little different this year — because it’s going in reverse.

For 2026, organizers are flipping the parade route to honor America’s upcoming 250th birthday and to spotlight the local history behind Evacuation Day, the holiday that shares the March 17 date with St. Patrick’s Day.

A new route through Southie

The parade will now begin at Andrew Square, travel through the traditional South Boston streets, turn right onto West Broadway and end on A Street. The reversal is meant to symbolically “rewind” the historical moment the parade commemorates.

“I feel like it might be a good change,” South Boston resident Rachel Farley said, calling the parade one of the best days in the neighborhood.

Why reverse the route? Evacuation Day

Beyond the green outfits and festivities, Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is also a celebration of Evacuation Day — the day in 1776 when British troops withdrew from Boston Harbor during the Revolutionary War.

Historians say the day marked a major turning point.

“This is a really important moment in the Revolutionary War,” said Kanisorn Wongsrichanalai, chief historian at the Massachusetts Historical Society. “It basically ends the first phase of the Revolutionary War.”

There’s no better place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Parade than in South Boston.

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The British retreat came after American forces strategically moved cannons to Dorchester Heights, forcing the British fleet to abandon Boston Harbor.

“Some historians want to call Evacuation Day Massachusetts’ Independence Day,” Wongsrichanalai added, “because it is the day in which the British forces sailed out of Boston Harbor and basically gave up control to this colony, which they had been in charge of for a long time.”

New family-friendly zone on M Street

Organizers are also introducing a designated family-friendly area along M Street to address past issues and make the parade more welcoming for all ages. The change aims to curb unruly behavior and keep the event enjoyable for residents, families, and visitors.

Southie resident Raegan Bailey says the day often involves large crowds and long lines.

“A lot of people spend it pregaming at people’s houses, to the bars — the lines are around the corner for every single bar,” she said.

When and where

This year, the story begins at Andrew Square — even if the parade ends elsewhere.

The South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade steps off on Sunday, March 15 at 11:30 a.m.